Elastomeric roof sheeting is used as single ply roofing membrane for industrial and commerical flat roofs. Such membranes are generally applied to the roof surface in vulcanized or cured state.
Because of outstanding weathering resistance and flexibility, cured ethylene-propylene-diene elastomer (EPDM) based roof sheeting (referred to herein as "EPDM" sheeting) has been rapidly gaining acceptance. This material normally is prepared by vulcanizing uncured composition in the presence of sulfur or sulfur containing compounds such as mercaptans. These sulfur cured materials have disadvantages in heat aging resistance and in uniformity of physical properties.
Consideration has been given to overcoming these disadvantages by utilizing radiation curing instead of sulfur curing. However, radiation curing is at a cost disadvantage to sulfur curing.
An object of this invention is to obtain the benefits of radiation curing in the production of EPDM sheeting while reducing the cost disadvantages.